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Baykeeper Updates Related to Urban Storm Water

The rainy season brings vital freshwater to our lakes, creeks, and streams, and it’s also the time for migrating winter birds who stop over in the Bay. Unfortunately, the rainy season also brings lots of pollution to San Francisco Bay, as contaminants get washed into local waterways, and heavy...

San Francisco Baykeeper recommends a Yes vote on Berkeley’s Measure M. This bond measure will provide funds to reduce rainy-season pollution that runs off Berkeley’s streets and into San Francisco Bay.
During storms, rain rushes across roads, driveways, sidewalks, and roofs, picking up trash, oil,...

Your home and garden can help protect San Francisco Bay by minimizing pollution from storm water during rainy winter months.
The rainy season brings a surge of pollution into the Bay. During storms, roofs, paved driveways, sidewalks, roads, and parking lots send rainwater rushing into gutters and...

Every drop of rain in the Bay Area eventually flows to San Francisco Bay. Throughout history, that hasn’t been a problem. Most rain soaked into the ground and made its way gradually into creeks that emptied into the Bay.
But with so many roads, driveways, sidewalks and roofs in our urban area, rain...

Bay Area cities are taking steps toward keeping trash, toxic chemicals and pesticides from washing into San Francisco Bay during the rainy season. However, Baykeeper is concerned that cities are not making enough progress to meet some of their targets for reducing their storm water pollution....

Plans for a redeveloped business district in East Palo Alto need to include more storm water pollution prevention measures and take into account future sea level rise, Baykeeper recently told regulators.
We urged the city of East Palo Alto to redraft the environmental impact report for this large-...

Want to help cut pollution in the Bay by collecting and reusing rainwater from your San Francisco rooftop? If so, you can get a discount of up to 60% on rain barrels from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). The SFPUC also offers cisterns at discounts of up to $640.
During rainy...

For the first time in ten years, the State Water Board is renewing regulations that govern pollution from California's interstates and highways. Baykeeper is fighting for a strong policy to control this major source of pollution to the state's waterways.
Caltrans is responsible under the Clean...

In Marin this rainy season, about three million gallons of raw sewage has spilled into the bay according to the watchdog group SF Baykeeper. Sewage spills, large and small, are common in Marin and storm water runoff is a persistent problem, carrying – unfiltered -- everything from heavy metals to...

San Francisco Baykeeper recently received a call to our pollution hotline from a concerned resident who was biking in Redwood City. She noticed oil on the street next to several garbage collection locations and eventually spotted oil near almost every house's collection site throughout several...